The present invention relates to a user interface for simplifying the transmission of data from a given source to a given receiver, in particular, automatically providing relevant transmission attributes for selection after the operator designates a particular source of data and a particular destination.
As networks and systems become more integrated and more complex, the amount and speed of information flow between users creates a need for more versatile and more efficient control over the information flow process. Current systems for sending a document or set of documents to a remote station require the operator to know designated limitations beforehand or require the operator to scroll through or review various features and limitations related to the document being sent or related to the device or receiver requirements at the receiving station.
Protocols defining integrated system behavior for devices such as printers, scanners, workstations and facsimiles, are well known. These protocols define how the systems should integrate across networks. Operational transparency across networks and device platforms, provide users with an increasingly integrated and transparent system environment. In this environment the manipulation of information (such as documents) is transparent to users as a result of the various network protocols that define the manner in which devices manipulate information. An example of an integrated system is the ISDN telephone network that provides services such as fax mail boxes and voice mail boxes.
Several Xerox Corporation U.S. patents describe systems having a network, server and printer usually with shared remote user terminals such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,153,577; 5,072,412; and 4,947,345.
Different workstations can access print services in different ways. To print a document, desirably the user can simply "copy" or "move" the document, with a mouse click or other command, to a printer icon on the workstation desktop, and set the displayed printing options, as on Xerox Corporation workstations. From other workstations such as the IBM PC's, the user may need to select menu items or type in commands to obtain access. The workstation selectable print options can include the number of copies, selected pages to be printed, paper size, image orientation, a choice of printers, and phone numbers when sending to a facsimile device.
The recently announced Xerox Corporation developed "PaperWorks".TM. product utilizes a special encoded fine pattern of special marks ("glyphs"), electronically recognized as such using PC computer software by the facsimile electronic image receiver. It was initially configured to operate on a conventional personal computer having a conventional internal fax card and a modem, electronic mail system or other network connection to telecommunications, and running "Windows".TM. software. A "PaperWorks".TM. fax form carries a coded identification region which, upon scanning, may be decoded by an appropriate processing system. This coded identification allows the system to determine which of several different pre-stored forms the received form is, and what its page layout is. From this, the system can also extract the necessary user-entered information from the form to facilitate processing. An important feature of the "PaperWorks".TM. system is the use of data defining a control sheet image to provide information in accordance with which operations are performed on data defining a sequence of images [data defining images, not actual physical sheets of a medium]. For example, the control sheet image can include information indicating a destination to which the fax server then transmits data defining said sequence of images.
It is also known as disclosed in pending application Ser. No. 07/130,929, D/92365, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, to utilize a user interface to automatically distribute information to a receiver on a network using devices (such as printers and facsimile machines) and communication channels (such as electronic mail) defined in a receiver profile.
There is an increasing user demand to finish jobs more quickly and accurately, and to do more sophisticated tasks in the same time that it previously took them to accomplish simpler tasks. Copying (transforming hardcopy to hardcopy) is one kind of service in a broader range of services where many document transformation choices will be available to users. User interface designs for new systems must address increased capability and still reduce complexity.
A difficulty with the aforementioned systems, however, is the inability of the interface to automatically trigger the correct interface dialogs in response to selected source and destination options. Accordingly it would be desirable to provide a user interface including a screen display that promotes user tailorability and system expansion based upon source and destination selections.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved user interface with the capability to selectively tailor the screen dialog based upon document source and destination attributes. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a document key or job tool at a user interface to initiate selection of a document source such as paper or electronic and selection of a document destination such as hardcopy or electronic or local or remote for print, file, or send parameters. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a user oriented document key that is attached to documents as processed, the document key being provided on user interfaces on shared multifunctional devices as well as on individual workstations to assist job set ups across networks. Other advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features characterizing the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.